Physical setting
Coastal country
geographic context
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Geography & Environment
Geography & Environment in Israel
JerusalemLocal time
Geography & Environment
Israel’s physical setting changes quickly from Mediterranean coastal lowlands to central highlands, the Jordan Rift and the arid landscapes of the south.
Relief anchor
Coastal plain, central highlands and Jordan Rift
regional relief reference
Israel at a Glance
Israel’s physical setting changes quickly from Mediterranean coastal lowlands to central highlands, the Jordan Rift and the arid landscapes of the south.
Physical geography
terrain · drainage · setting
Israel has a Mediterranean coastal plain in the west, a central belt of hills and highlands, and a sharp descent toward the Jordan Rift, while arid terrain expands across the south. The relief focus used here is Coastal plain, central highlands and Jordan Rift, presented as a regional physical reference.
Regional frameWestern Asia
SettingCoastal country
Relief focusCoastal plain, central highlands and Jordan Rift
Climate pattern
The climate is Mediterranean across much of the north and west, becoming progressively drier toward the south and in lower rift areas.
Water and landform context
Drainage is divided between short streams reaching the Mediterranean, the Jordan basin in the east and arid catchments in the south where flow is often seasonal.
Terrain, Climate and Environment
Three connected views of Israel's physical setting.
Relief and terrain
PhysicalIsrael has a Mediterranean coastal plain in the west, a central belt of hills and highlands, and a sharp descent toward the Jordan Rift, while arid terrain expands across the south. The relief reference on this page is Coastal plain, central highlands and Jordan Rift.
Climate pattern
ClimateThe climate is Mediterranean across much of the north and west, becoming progressively drier toward the south and in lower rift areas.
Environmental setting
EnvironmentDrainage is divided between short streams reaching the Mediterranean, the Jordan basin in the east and arid catchments in the south where flow is often seasonal.
Understand the landscape
What Israel's geographic profile is telling you
Strong relief and rainfall gradients connect Israel’s coastal, highland, rift and desert zones, with water availability becoming increasingly limited toward the arid south.
Detailed Geography & Environment Data
| Measure | Reference | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Physical setting | Coastal country | Geographic classification |
| Relief anchor | Coastal plain, central highlands and Jordan Rift | Regional physical feature |
| Climate | The climate is Mediterranean across much of the north and west, becoming progressively drier toward the south and in lower rift areas. | |
| Terrain | Israel has a Mediterranean coastal plain in the west, a central belt of hills and highlands, and a sharp descent toward the Jordan Rift, while arid terrain expands across the south. | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of terrain does Israel have?
At country scale, the main terrain pattern is: israel has a Mediterranean coastal plain in the west, a central belt of hills and highlands, and a sharp descent toward the Jordan Rift, while arid terrain expands across the south.
What is Israel's climate like?
The climate is Mediterranean across much of the north and west, becoming progressively drier toward the south and in lower rift areas.
What physical feature helps explain the landscape?
A useful way to read the landscape is through the relationship between relief and drainage. Drainage is divided between short streams reaching the Mediterranean, the Jordan basin in the east and arid catchments in the south where flow is often seasonal.
Sources & methodology
This physical-geography profile uses Israel Third National Communication to the UNFCCC to support the terrain, climate, drainage and regional relief descriptions shown on this page. The summary focuses on broad, stable physical features.
View sources used for this page
Israel Third National Communication to the UNFCCC
Country-authored institutional source used for the physical-geography claims on this page.